With the first round winding down Thursday night, the Kansas City Chiefs were on the clock, off the clock, and back on to make their pick. When the dust settled, they drafted their top prospect, Left Tackle Josh Simmons, and picked up an extra draft pick on Saturday.
Kansas City Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach conquered the first round last season and convinced the Buffalo Bills to trade first-round picks. That deal produced Wide Receiver Xavier Worthy. A year later, Veach made a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, moving one spot back to secure their future left tackle.
The Chiefs’ draft board had no pre-draft misconceptions about Ohio State tackle Josh Simmons. He was a top ten pick. However, a torn Patellar injury in October sidelined his 2024 season at Ohio State, making it possible for Kansas City to draft Simmons at the end of the first round.
Reports surfaced this week that Simmons might not be ready until midseason. However, that wasn’t the case. Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid made it clear in speaking to reporters that he is confident that Simmons will be ready to go at the start of training camp.
To finalize the deal, the Chiefs had to wait patiently for their chance to draft Simmons. With that slide, the Chiefs swapped first-round picks with the Philadelphia Eagles. In exchange for moving down one spot, the Chiefs add a fifth-round pick (#164) on Saturday.
At the onset of the draft, the Chiefs didn’t have a fifth or sixth-round pick. The Eagles used their selection to grab Alabama pass rusher Jihaad Campbell.
To his credit, shortly after his surgery, Simmons immediately began his physical therapy and his been steadfast in showing teams he could play in the NFL this season. Once the injury occurred in October, he declared for the NFL draft, left the Buckeyes football team, and missed out on their national championship run to begin his rehab.
The task ahead might be a bit rocky as he gets back on the football field, but Andy Reid made it clear that Simmons, newly signed free agent tackle Jaylon Moore, and incumbent correct tackle Jawaan Taylor would compete for the starting tackle spots.
Further, Reid made it clear that the best five offensive linemen will start for the Chiefs. With Kingley Suamataia, the likely left guard, it’s imperative that he get familiar with his new position and his new left tackle.
Kansas City was fortunate to land Williams and did a great job of gaining leverage by staying true to their board, adding a fifth-round pick, and trusting their internal medical staff to assess the concerns about the knee.
On Friday night, the Chiefs will have three picks. With Simmons in the fold, they can focus on other team needs at defensive tackle, running back, edge, wide receiver, and tight end.
